Self-assessment and dialogue: can it improve learning?

Self-assessment is a topic that receives much interest. Self-assessment is assumed to be a process that informs the learner about his strengths and weaknesses based on which he can make decisions about what needs further learning or further improvement. Although it is known from previous studies that self-assessment requires clear, timely, specific and constructive feedback to inform the learners’ self-assessment (Sargeant et al. 2010); not much is known about the conditions under which self-assessment is effective and does enhance learning.

Plant et al. (2012) report an interesting study about the process of self-assessment. The aim of the study was to better understand HOW and WHY resident physicians adjust their self-assessment after reviewing their own performance in leading a simulated resuscitation in the presence of an interviewer. The study demonstrates that: (1) the residents find self-assessment important and the video review useful and (2) quantitative feedback from observers ...